FISHING FORECAST: Fishing hits a winter lull as waters cool

From the few fishing reports being received, the fall fishing frenzy apparently is over.

Catch reports this week and last show a definite slowdown in the bite, particularly with red drum and spotted sea trout, although a few limit catches of trout continue to trickle in.

Most talked about in recent days has been sheepshead, and the bite seems to be excellent, both offshore when weather allows and also inshore around the structures and submerged trees.

Reports from both conventional boat and kayak fishermen run about the same, with considerable searching for reds and better action with trout, although the catch reports indicate the trout are going deeper as the water temps continue to decline.

The best trout reports came out of Kilkenny Marina in Bryan County and also from Raburn Goodman at Yellow Bluff.

Big trout

Danny Bacot at Kilkenny said there were several limit catches of trout brought to the docks over the weekend from the St. Catherines area, and also noted that one angler who was fishing in a trout tournament and fishing south of the area in the vicinity of St. Mary's, had a limit of trout that averaged 3.5 pounds, with the largest weighing more than 5 pounds.

Water temperatures apparently are significantly warmer from Brunswick southward along the coast.

Raburn Goodman, while noting fishing traffic is relatively slow, also noted a few limit catches of trout, some of which came from McQueen's Inlet on the ocean side of St. Catherines Island.

A call to Shellman Fish Camp at Shellman Bluff for the Sapelo Sound area also indicated very slow angling traffic with almost no catch action reported.

Kayak action

For the Chatham County area, Trey Leggett has been keeping us abreast of the kayak fishing action (coastalgeorgiakayakfishing.com) and emailed a report from last weekend covering both salt and fresh water action, saying the kayakers encountered "short redfish, keeper-sized speckled trout and nice size crappie".

Saying he and his son Austin were fishing waters around Tybee Island, he noted they had no success in attracting small schools of shallow water reds. They apparently changed tactics, targeting trout at deeper levels with more success.

"The bite wasn't what it was last month, but they are still there, even though the water temps are getting low," he wrote, adding that the two landed "six nice keepers" in a short time span.

He also said another group fishing the Intracoastal Waterway near bridge pilings encountered the same trout bite.

The fresh water crappie catch was made by Cleveland Walker, who Leggett said was fishing "small bodies of water on the southside of Savannah and that the crappie weighed in the 2-pound range.

Sheepshead

Since 2013 made its debut, David Wood, another who keeps us abreast of the coastal action on a weekly basis, has been targeting sheepshead.

Teaming with Sarah Zuchuwitz both the first and last weekend, Wood said the bite has been challenging but also productive.

The first weekend, they managed to battle seven out of heavy structures, had four more cut themselves loose and had several additional hook-ups.

Saying his "Carolina buddies laid a hurting on the sheepshead," including catching one weighing more than 11 pounds and four others in the 10-pound range, he was planning to head to the same area last weekend.

And he did, this week's account saying it was a predawn start to get the early morning bite which paid off, although the bite was not as fast has he had hoped.

The two caught a lot of small sheepshead, which kept them busy, but the largest keeper of the day was landed early.

Still another combination catch made New Year's Day came from Kenneth Smith, who said he landed a 9-pound sheepshead and noted that his group also caught 30 trout and two reds.

Capt. Judy's report

Capt. Judy Helmey (Miss Judy Charters), in her weekly web report, writes of both sheepshead and flounder action at the offshore reefs.

She also makes note of black drum and trophy reds in the same area, adding there is no shortage of black sea bass in and around the structures, which must be turned loose since the season is closed.

While on the subject of closures, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is reminding all fishermen the seasonal closure of shallow water grouper in the South Atlantic is now in effect. It will remain so until April 30.

During this period no gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby, yellowfin grouper or yellowmouth grouper may be harvested, possessed, sold or purchased.

The closure also applies to shallow water grouper taken in state waters within the South Atlantic boundaries by any person on board a vessel holding a federal snapper-grouper permit, including a South Atlantic charter/headboat permit for snapper-grouper.

About bait

The live bait shrimp picture remains about the same as it was a week ago, with several bait suppliers now shut down for the winter period.

Local bait-size white shrimp are still being caught in some areas and scarce in others.

Bacot at Kilkenny said the amount of shrimp he has been able to catch in areas where he drags has declined significantly. He said the recent drop in temperatures may have them seeking areas where the water is warmer.

Goodman at Yellow Bluff reported that there still are fair to good concentrations in the areas where he is dragging. However, in the Sapelo Sound area, bait suppliers are having difficulty locating enough shrimp to justify any harvest.

In the Chatham County area, the only bait supplier who answered phone calls this week was Liz Bowens, who operates Bandy's Bait Company, located on the Skidaway Narrows adjacent to causeway bridge leading to Skidaway Island.

Bowens reported having very few live bait shrimp, and also had a limited amount of live mud minnows as well as fiddler crabs.

Most bait suppliers now open are offering live mud minnows and several are importing fiddler crabs from Florida to meet the demands of sheepshead fishermen. Check in advance to see who has bait.

Tides are springing relative to the new moon phase, and high tides will be in the 8-foot range through the coming weekend.

Look for strong currents during this period and some muddying, particularly during the mid- and low-tide periods.

John Burke can be reached at 912-655-8505 or john.burke@savannahnow.com.